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Rest in peace, brave Chowti

Sadly Chowti, one of our most courageous bears, has recently passed away. Here we remember a bear who found peace and happiness later in life at Balkasar.

A life in pictures

Chowti was rescued and brought to Balkasar in 2010. She arrived blind, malnourished and weak from horrific cruelty and abuse.

A very small Asiatic black bear, Chowti had spent the first five years of her life fighting in the bear baiting ring, suffering terribly for this brutal blood sport.

Sanctuary staff gave Chowti the first experience of medical care she'd ever had. They treated her wounds and removed her chains.

She was given lots of time torest, and some much-needed TLC. Soon, she was released into the sanctuary's main enclosure to begin her new life.

Sadly, Chowti's (pictured, right) blindness and feisty nature made it difficult for her to fit in. It wasn't until she moved to the sanctuary's special enclosure for disabled bears that she really flourished.

Once she settled, Chowti's blindness never held her back. She loved to snooze in the shade, play with her best friend Lala, and dip her paws in the sanctuary pool on hot summer days. We'll never forget her clambering up a tree for fun, her excited growls as she smelled chicken and sugarcanes, and her cheeky schemes to sneak more food. We'll miss her so much, but we will always be so grateful for your support which gave her such peace and happiness in her final years.

Chowti will always have a special place in our hearts. Our partners at Balkasar, the Bioresource Research Centre, plan to plant a tree in her memory to remember her forever.

We know it may take a little while to say goodbye to Chowti, but back at Balkasar, there are other bears that urgently need our care.

If you've got room for a rescue bear, please consider adopting a bear just like Chowti today from just £1 a week. You don't need a big house. Just a big heart.